Dan Martin cranks it up in pursuit of three big Classic targets

After opting to play a team helper role in Wednesday's Flèche Brabançonne race in Belgium, Dan Martin (above) will step things up this Sunday when he lines out in the first of his three big Classic targets this year, the Amstel Gold Race.

Martin has been training hard of late in order to try to return to the same form which secured him victory in last year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège Classic. He will target success again in the race on Sunday week, but before then he will aim for a top finish in Sunday’s Amstel Gold event and then Wednesday’s Flèche Wallonne.

Each of the races should suit his characteristics; Martin is a strong climber and his past results have proven that he is one of the world’s best on the ramp-like climbs of these Ardennes Classics. If his recent training has succeeded in getting back to top form, he will be in contention for wins in the days to come, and would also achieve an important boost ahead of next month’s Giro d’Italia.

Meanwhile, former world junior champion Kai Reus has been confirmed as riding this year's An Post Rás. The Dutchman, who took the world title shortly after winning the 2003 Junior Tour of Ireland, will lead the Netherlands Parkhotel Valkenburg team in the race.

He will be joined on the squad by former Tour de Liege stage winners Jasper Ockeloen and Brian Bulgac, plus recent Tour of Morocco race leader Remco Broers and one other rider.

Reus looked set for a top pro career but lost momentum when he suffered head injuries in a crash in 2007. He returned to win a stage of the 2009 Tour of Britain and, after some time away from the sport, has shown solid form of late.

Also confirmed for next month's race is the USA Smart Shop team. It will be led by the current Canadian national champion Zach Bell, with former Grand Prix Pino Cerami winner Jure Kocjan also likely to be in the hunt for strong results.

Many of the Irish domestic riders who will start the event on May 18th will hone their form this weekend in big stage races. The Rás Mumhain begins today with a 106-kilometre stage to Killorglin and runs until Monday. Across the border, stage one of the three day Tour of the North starts tomorrow in Ballymena.